Preserved Dakota / DC-5 / DC-6 / Constellation in KLM colours
 

I was at Schipol yesterday and my day was brightened by seeing close-up the take-off of a Dakota (the chap from KLM who I was with called it a Dakota, not a DC-3. I thought only we Brits did that). It was painted in KLM colours down one side and Air France down the other.

Chatting about it, the KLM person said he thought that there was also a DC-5 in KLM colours but he then said that it has multiple fins which sounds like a Constellation to me.

I have found out that an Air Atlantique DC-6 has KLM colours at the moment and the that Breitling Constellation's colours look a bit like KLM but can anyone shed any further light, please?

Don't think any trace of a DC5 remains. Nice if it did, though.

It's a Constellation; http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1139133&size=L

Why does the starboard outer engine have a spinner on the prop and the inboard doesn't?

Because it's been removed from the inboard...

I'll get my coat...

Air Atlantique's DC-6, G-APSA, has been painted in KLM colours for a film.

The Constellation is at the Aviodrome in Lelystad. Plans are to have it flying again next year. They had some problems with engine no.3 which had just been replaced when the photo posted above was taken, the spinner had obviously not been replaced yet.

Indeed Air Atlantique have a DC-6 in KLM colours (G-APSA as mentioned by Conc), it was painted in this scheme for filming work about the 1953 London - Christchurch Air Race but will remain like this for a while and might also visit some shows next year.

The half KLM half Air France DC-3 is PH-PBA which is operated by DDA Classic Airlines alongside PH-DDZ in Martinair colours. The half/half colourscheme was used to commemorate the first DC-3 flight between Amsterdam and Paris last year. A French DC-3 (F-AZTE) was painted in the same scheme then as a standby and might still be in these colours (including fake PH-PBA markings!).

There's a new website about the KLM / Air Atlantique DC-6, G-APSA, here. Long live the Six!

Thanks everybody, most useful. I have passed-on the info' to the KLM person. Maybe he will feel so good about my enthusiasm that he'll order the parts I am trying to sell him!

:=
KLM ,
Never operated the DC-5 ,it was KNILM ,which was their colonial division which operated from Batavia.

KLM constellation colors
 

The photo postcard I have of a KLM Constellation shows half of the top part of each tail rudder fin with the dutch colors from top RED, WHITE, BLUE. the fuselage is silver or unpainted. I dont pick out any colors on the wings - and dont remember any on the KLM Constellation I flew on in 1954/5 - I was looking at the engine on the right burning before it was extinguished. Bumpy ride when that happened. Landed at a Dutch base on Biak (Indon.) Island for repairs before resuming flight to Sydney from Amsterdam. Bob Koomans, Brisbane

DC5
 

Going back to the DC5, wasn't there one used as an instructional airframe at Technion at Haifa in Israel back in the 70's. Anyone know what happened to that?
D

Preserved Dak
 

Might I step in here?

In 1949, RAF Hendon had something called 'the Dutch Comm. Flight' run by a Corporal. It received a regular visit from a Dak painted in red over silver and registration PH-PBA and correctly the driver was Prince Bernhart of the Netherlands.

There was also a regular Ju 52/3 in Belgian colours- and I would assume that this kite was the start of Sabena. Her photo is poor but is in " First in the Indian Skies' by Norman Franks. The roundels were Belgian not British as stated.

There was also a French Nord 1000/ ME108 Taifun which a mate of mine- mended one side!

We also had a converted Liberator- but only for the day!

Sabena had been going from long before then, 1923 in fact, and in the 1930s built up quite a substantial fleet of Ju52/3m. These were pretty much lost during WW2, either in accidents or being sent out to the separate fleet in Belgian Congo from where they did not return. My guess would be it was one just left behind in Belgium in 1944-5, and taken over by the air force. Sabena restarted with DC3s after WW2.

Preserved Dak
 

I am indebted for the Sabena information. Probably the JU52 was 'a spoil of war' like the ME 108 as the 'civvy stuff' went into our satellite of RAF Northolt. Apart from PH-PBA, and the stray 'Lib', the only civvies were the Cup Final crowd.

Going off at a tangent, I would welcome any additional info about RAF Hendon and the days of RAF 31 Squadron. Such info would be placed in the care of the Squadron Association.

Two or three items are Air Ministry Book Production Unit in AMQ- and 'something' which was 'Out of Bounds' in the Officers Mess- to the occupants. Again, there was the Antarctic Flight. Again, the published story does not fit the later facts. There is also 'something' about RAF Highgate which 'did not exist' but I was in it.